, 1887-06-30
To Quit the Grand Army.
Washington Dispatch, June 1871

Washington Dispatch, June 49,
The latest talk growing out Of the
battle-fiag episode is that al attempt
will he made to split the Grand Army
of the Republic and start soldiers
organization whose membership shall
be entirely democratic The talk is
heard among the Office holding class
whose bread and butter depends on
President Cleveland's reelection.
These men for the last two or three
days have been going about vocifer-
ating that the presidents blunde- :.iR
not hurt him any with the country at
large. -and that the censure of the
Grand Army men is not to be feared.
At the same time they are bitter to-
wards the democrats who are in that
organization, and call on them to
come out of it or be read out of the
party. They say that ex-soldiers who
are democrats owo it to themselves TO
form society of their own to uphold
the president as against the Grand
Army of the Republic, which, they
say, Notwithstanding the assertions to
the contrary, is political machine.
1t is undeniable that majority of
the Grand Army are republicans, be
cause majority of the soldiers were
of that faith. But in some states,
notably Indiana and New Jersey, the
membership is said to be about
equally divided politically. About
the only soldiers of National reputa-
ton connected with the administra-
ton are Postmaster-General Villas,
Register Rosecrans and Pension
Commissioner Black, but it is urged
that these could form the neucleus of
a society which could at least draw to
it the few ex-soldiers who have got
Office under Cleveland. It is notice
able, however, that the people who
are so fierce for something of this
kind to be done were non -combatahts.
The personality of the president does
not form the groundwork for polit-
icai movement of ex-soldiers. Those
of his own party who have approved
his VetOes on general principles have
always in private shown a resentful
feeling because OF the patronizing
tone the president used in speaking
OF them. His platituGcs about patri-
otism did not strike deep. In the
present emergency his attitude has
not been whit better. The commo-
tion the battle -fag order caused was
beheld by Mr.. Cleveland with a dull
surprise. He does not yet understand
it, and from all accounts doggedly
holds that We're Dot tho authority
lacking he would never have backed
down, The strongest feeling shown
by him has been that of chagriu that
not even the habitual fatterers who
surround him could find anything to
praise
1t is sinsularly unfortunate, says
the New York World, that the royal
marriage laws in Europe prevent the
infusion OF some healthy plebian
blood into the veins Of the reigning
dynasties. Continual intermarrisge
among relatives during period of
several hundred years has naturally
engendered insanity, epilepsy and
that agreeable maiady known rs the
kings evil" The gradually increas-
Ing number of insane princes and
prlncesses is beginning u alarm even
the most conservative of monrrchists.
In addition 10 tho d lchesse D'Alen-
"on just reported. the names Of tho
present King Of Bavaria, the Duchess
of Cumberland, the OK Sultan of
Turkey, Primes Alexander Of Prussil,
the Grand Duke Nicolas Constantin-
owiiz OF Rn-sia, tlie * Empress
Charlotte of Mexico, aTe sufficient to
illustrate the evils Of blood which is
too blue"